IOL News reports that the Hawks (Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation) have issued a warning to women to be vigilant amid a “rapid increase of dating scam incidents” in Limpopo province.

The warning came after a 60-year-old Polokwane-based woman was scammed out of more than R800,000 of her pension money (details in report). In October, a Ugandan national was arrested after he allegedly scammed a former teacher and his lover of her pension money. According to Hawks spokesperson in Limpopo, Lieutenant Colonel Matimba Maluleke, such cases have become frequent. “Since the cases of fraud and dating scams are continuing to be reported to the Hawks, the potential victims – particularly well-to-do single/widowed women – are advised to be careful of the scammers who would come into their lives in the name of love,” cautined Maluleke. According to the Hawks, the scammers target the following categories of single women: women with stable jobs, whom the scammers often convince to resign; women who are recently divorced and have acquired some assets, with the scammers convincing them to register assets under their names or to sell off the assets; women who are in business, with the scammers coming up with fake business proposals that need funding; women who have inherited considerable wealth; women who are about to retire; and women who are widows.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Jonisayi Maromo at IOL News

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